Remembering the Movement of Time
by Faerie of Lightwater Forest
Summary: A dark one shot song fic with Switchfoot's Dare You To Move. Severus Snape has some recollections and makes a dark decision.


**Remembering the Movement of Time**

Severus Snape sat with his half-empty bottle of elf-made wine, staring into the fire. The dancing flames in his fireplace in Spinner's End had a hypnotic effect on him, and soon he found himself reflecting on the past...

_Welcome to the planet _

_Welcome to existence _

_Everyone's here _

_Everyone's here _

_Everybody's watching you now _

_Everybody waits for you now _

_What happens next?  
What happens next?_

His parents had never actually wanted him. The day he was born was probably when his turmoil started, he was sure, although he couldn't remember that far back, even with his excellent memory. But the way his parents treated him throughout his childhood made it very clear that nobody wanted him. Nobody cared.

_I dare you to move _

_I dare you to move _

_I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor _

_I dare you to move _

_I dare you to move _

_Like to today never happened _

_Today never happened before_

When he started going to Hogwarts at age eleven, he had hoped that his life would turn around, that it would be better, that he might even find... Happiness? Friendship? Acceptance? Respect? He certainly hoped he could find someone who would actually care that he existed... But that task proved to be too difficult. Nobody liked him. Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors hated him mainly because he was a Slytherin, but his fellow Slytherins weren't too fond of him, either. Half-bloods just weren't accepted in the Pure-blood crowd. He was forced to become Lucius Malfoy's lapdog, having no other wing to be taken under. Malfoy was never a real friend. No Slytherin was. At the end of the day in Slytherin House, it was always every witch and wizard for himself, leaving Severus, if possible, feeling even more alone and undesirable than when he was at home with his parents.

His talents, however, had their uses, and Severus Snape was asked to join the ranks of the Death Eaters. Not that he had any choice. No one could resist Voldemort and live. So Snape was branded with the Dark Mark.

_Welcome to the fallout_

_Welcome to resistance_

_The tension is here_

_The tension is here_

_Between who you are and who you could be_

_Between how it is and how it should be_

Severus needed some kind of escape. Voldemort was insane! He needed to escape his murderous master...but how?

Albus Dumbledore then became one of the only people to show him kindness. Dumbledore gave Snape the chance to join the Order of the Phoenix and become a double agent. Snape accepted the offer.

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Like today never happened_

_Today never happened_

Things ended bittersweet the first time around. James Potter was killed. He would cause Severus no more humiliation. Lily, however, died as well. Lily was one of the few people who hadn't been repulsed by Severus Snape. He was rather sad to see her go.

Their son, Harry, survived, and was sent to live with Muggles in Little Whinging. And Voldemort appeared to be dead. Severus was offered a job teaching Potions at Hogwarts, and, having nowhere else to go, Severus accepted Dumbledore's second offer.

Snape's life was pretty much routine until thirteen years later when Voldemort returned to power. The Order of the Phoenix reformed, and Severus was to take up his role as double agent once more. He played this role for two more years before...well, before doing the one thing that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Oh, how he wished he didn't have to do it, how he regretted it, and how he hated himself. He would never forgive himself, and nobody would ever forgive him for killing Albus Dumbledore.

_Maybe redemption has stories to tell_

_Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell_

_Where can you run to escape from yourself?_

_Where you gonna go?_

_Where you gonna go?_

_Salvation is here_

So here sat Severus Snape, attempting to drown his sorrows in alcohol. He wasn't much of a drinker before, but...things have changed. He drained the rest of his bottle and stared, drunk, at the fire a little longer, before lifting himself out of his chair and stumbling toward the stairs concealed behind a bookcase.

He heard a creak on the stair. His eyes narrowed. It was Wormtail. God, how he hated Wormtail! He decided he'd show his hate to Wormtail in a most unpleasant way... Oh no, he was becoming just like his father!

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to lift yourself_

_Lift yourself up off the floor_

_I dare you to move_

_I dare you to move_

_Like today never happened_

_Today never happened_

_Today never happened_

_Today never happened before_

He stumbled up the stares, hating himself, when he felt a terrible burning sensation on his left forearm. He rolled back his sleeve to expose the Dark Mark, burning black. Voldemort was summoning him. Anger, supreme rage consumed him. How he hated Voldemort!

He decided he would apparate to his master and really tell him how he felt. Perhaps then his suffering would end...forever.

A/N: Yeah, I decided to try writing something a bit different. So I did this song fic. I chose "Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot because it's one of my favourite songs and reminds me irresistibly of my favourite character, Severus Snape. And so I tried my hand at writing something a bit darker than usual. I know this fic is far from perfect. I wrote it in about an hour, and it kind of shows. To clarify what happens at the end, Snape decides to tell Voldemort he hates him, thus angering Voldemort enough to kill him, ending his suffering forever. Yeah, I know it's not very happy... Anyways, please review and tell me what you think! Constructive criticism is much appreciated.


End file.
